Scanning both sides of the 1926 census forms.

'Memory and Legacy' themes of Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School

Special focus on 1926 Census records release

John Donohoe

Published: Thu 23 Jul 2026, 9:00 PM

Memory and legacy are the themes of the fourth annual Thomas MacDonagh Hedge School, which takes place at the Thomas MacDonagh Museum, Cloughjordan, from 16th to19th September next.

This year's programme coincides with the public release of the 1926 Census, the first comprehensive census of the independent Irish Free State. Released by the National Archives of Ireland on 18 April in accordance with the State's 100-year privacy rule, the collection contains more than 700,000 digitised household returns, now freely searchable online.

The records provide a detailed account of Irish society following a decade of major upheaval, documenting household composition, occupations, housing conditions and language use. Together, they offer an invaluable record of the country at a pivotal moment in its history.

As part of a day of talks exploring the many ways in which we remember and interpret the past, the Hedge School is delighted to welcome Zoë Reid, Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Archives of Ireland, who will deliver the keynote address from 11am to 12.30pm on Saturday 19th September.

Zoë Reid, Keeper of Manuscripts at the National Archives of Ireland.

Zoë’s presentation, From Biscuits to Bytes: Bringing the 1926 Census Online at the National Archives, will explore the journey of the census from fragile paper records to a fully searchable online resource.

The National Archives of Ireland is now located in the former Jacob’s Biscuit Factory on Bishop Street, a site closely connected with the events of the 1916 Rising. Zoë’s talk will look at how this historic location has become the home of a major archival project: preserving, digitising and preparing the 1926 Census for public access.

Zoë will outline the conservation challenges involved, the technical work required to create a searchable digital resource, and the archival methods used to care for millions of fragile paper records. She will also explore what comparing the 1926 Census with the 1911 Census tells us about a country experiencing significant change.

By linking the census project to the history of the Bishop Street site, the presentation shows how a place once associated with revolution now supports public access to the records of the state that followed. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the National Archives balances preservation and digital innovation to make the 1926 Census available to researchers worldwide.

A conservator uses a small heated iron to reduce creases and folds that could impede .legibility Photo by Ros Kavanagh

Since establishing the Conservation Department in 2002, Zoë has shaped national standards for the preservation and sustainable access of State records. With over 25 years' experience, she is widely published and has presented internationally on conservation strategy and archival preservation. Zoë leads Public Services and Collection Care and has been involved with major exhibition and outreach projects, including The Treaty 1921, Ireland at the League of Nations and Society and State at Dublin Castle. She was a core member of the team leading the preparation and public programme for the release of the 1926 Census.

The afternoon programme, from 2.15pm to 3.30pm, welcomes award-winning historian, author and broadcaster Turtle Bunbury. Turtle’s presentation, Ireland's Forgotten Past: Reflections on the Overlooked and Disremembered, will explore some of the lesser-known stories from Irish history and how our understanding of the past continues to change as new sources become available and different questions are asked of familiar events. In keeping with the Hedge School's themes of memory and legacy, Turtle will examine not only what is remembered, but also what is overlooked, forgotten or rediscovered.

Turtle is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster, described as "one of Ireland's most prolific historians" and "one of the most versatile authors of his generation." He has written more than twenty books, including Ireland's Forgotten Past (Thames & Hudson, 2020), hailed by Sebastian Barry as "a stirring atlas of Irishness." His work has been shortlisted four times for the Irish Book Awards, while The Irish Diaspora: Tales of Emigration, Exile and Imperialism (Thames & Hudson, 2021) was praised as "impeccably researched" by BBC History Magazine.

A familiar voice on radio, television and podcasting, Turtle has created numerous history series exploring Ireland's past in fresh and engaging ways. He is co-founder of the acclaimed Vanishing Ireland project and has contributed extensively to public history, including the installation of 100 Past Tracks panels at railway stations nationwide. Based in County Carlow, he continues to research, write and share Ireland's overlooked stories with audiences at home and abroad.

The large volumes of census forms were originally laced together for security. For conservation and digitisation, the green laces were carefully untied and removed from each volume. Photo by Ros Kavanagh

The Thomas MacDonagh Museum’s mission is to honour the legacy of Thomas MacDonagh by sharing a history that resonates with contemporary Ireland. The Museum maintains a close relationship with MacDonagh family descendants and houses a unique collection that gives an account of one family’s enduring connection to the Irish nation and its history.

Tickets for events are now available €15-€40 via Eventbrite https://bit.ly/4oHWvOS

Thomas MacDonagh Museum https://macdonaghmuseum.ie/